How to avoid floor mat problems

WASHINGTON 
It's a nightmare scenario for drivers – you pull your foot off the gas pedal but it sticks to the floor, causing the car to speed up. How do you get it to stop?

This problem – which may have led to a fatal crash in August – has prompted Toyota Motor Corp. to tell owners of some Camrys, Avalons, Lexuses and Priuses to remove driver-side floor mats. Drivers of some Tundra and Tacoma pickup trucks should also pull out mats.

The gas pedal could get caught under the top edge of a driver's floor mat. That could wedge it against the floorboard, mimicking a driver pressing down the accelerator.

–Never stack mats on top of each other. For example, if you buy an all-weather floor mat, don't put it on top of the one already in your car. Take out the original mat.

– Don't use carpet from your home as floor mats because it won't stay in place and could interfere with the pedals, says David Champion, senior director of Consumer Report's auto testing department.

–Don't use mats that have no system to keep them in place, even if they have dimples that dig into the carpet. "Dimples and nubs don't hold 100 percent," says Champion.

What to do if your accelerator gets stuck:

–Try to get it unstuck. If safe to do so, reach down and pull the mat back from the accelerator, then pull over and stop.

–If you can't dislodge the pedal, firmly step on the brake with both feet. Shift the vehicle into neutral, which will disengage the transmission. Continue braking until you come to a stop. Don't pump the brakes.

–If you are unable to shift into neutral, shut the engine off or turn the key to the "ACC" position on the ignition. You won't lose control of steering or the brakes. But be careful, you won't have the benefit of power brakes or power steering once the vehicle is off.

–For vehicles that have a start/stop button for the engine, hold the button for three seconds to turn it off. Don't just tap it.

–Finally, don't take the key out of the ignition. This will lock the steering wheel.